Purpose Ancillary tests such as immunohistochemistry or molecular testing for pathologic diagnosis are performed using ready-made tissue blocks for a histological examination. Various methods and processes during ancillary testing cause some of issues, particularly in the time required and the results reporting scheme.
Methods To solve these issues, we constructed real-time management software. When a pathologist or a clinician had ancillary tests examined using this software by selecting the codes of the needed ancillary tests on site and the system assigned the tests to each laboratory. Then, pathology technologists checked the referred tests and performed the examination. In clinical departments, serial number of each ancillary test can be matched the original pathologic ID. In the department of pathology, numbers of tissue blocks that needed additional tests could be indicated and detected using one-click detection system when a clinician referred the test.
Results Using this system resulted in simplifying the referral procedures from nine-steps to three-steps in each clinical department and from seven-steps to two-steps in department of pathology. Errors that happened on the paper-based request system were also reduced. Furthermore, the time required was saved by seven hours in pathologic laboratory on average. Mean durations from requesting to reporting of the ancillary test was reduced by three days for specimens of health promotion center.
Conclusion Construction of an effective information transfer system may be helpful for shortening the time required, reducing errors, and checking processing information of the tests in real time.